Last year, I went to the board of directors for Latimer Quilt & Textile Center, in Tillamook, OR with a proposal for a charity challenge. The challenge entrant would choose a photo and translate the photo into their chosen fiber or mixed media art. The board approved the proposal, juried 50 of my photos, and chose 10 to offer in the open charity challenge. It began in November of 2009, with a maximum of 40 entry spots available. By October 31st of 2010 we had 22 entries turned in. Woohoo!! We hung the entries for the show on Halloween, and the show started on November 1st. All items are available for bid through silent auction and all proceeds go to the charity of the artists choice. The show will wrap up on December 31st, with the entries going to the highest bidder. To offer a twist on the challenge, we are taking ballots on the 3 "Best of Show" entries and they will be awarded with framed and matted photos of the photo they chose to translate. If you happen to be in Tillamook during the months of Nov-Dec, stop by Latimer and check out the charity challenge. The entries are simply amazing! I cannot say enough about the people who entered and produced such awesome work!! Thanks to all of you for making this challenge a huge success!
Add Comment
 
 
I have set up the Enduring the Burn page under the Projects tab, here on the website. There is a gallery where I will post pictures of the survivors, as I go. I have set up a form that can be filled out by survivors who want to participate in the Enduring the Burn project that will go directly to my e-mail so that I can contact them as soon as possible. There is also a model release pdf form that will need to be filled out and either mailed to me or scanned and e-mailed to me before I can proceed with any portraits/photographs.
I have also set up ads on Facebook, Craig's List and various burn foundations in hopes of finding burn survivors who are interested in partcipating. When I spoke with the Shriner's Hospital's P.A. Catherine Comroe, she said, "I think the project sounds very interesting and would be worthwhile not only to survivors but to their families." Ann Jobin at http://asktheburnsurgeon.blogspot.com had this to say, "I think its a great idea to have a book on burn survivors as it would give great encouragement and hope to people who suffer from burns." These are only a few of the e-mails I have received with positive feedback regarding Enduring the Burn.

If you are reading this blog and know of a survivor that you think would be a good fit for this project, please contact me through the website. I would love the chance to propose the project to them, as I am certain that they will feel as strongly about this project as I do!
Add Comment
 
Facebook Post 04/05/2010
 
The following is the post I put on my Facebook Photography site:

As you all know, I have very strong feelings about cancer and the toll it takes on our friends and loved ones. So, I have an idea bouncing around in my head and would like some input. I am thinking of doing a very tasteful photo-documetary of "the face of cancer". I would like to have about 25 people and maybe follow (with pictures) a day in the life of and have them tell their cancer story....Opinion??

So, I got a couple of opinions on facebook, but would like some more before I make a decision. This would involve a lot of time and effort on the part of everyone involved. With that in mind, I would like to put out a call to action for anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer that might be interested in being a part of something like this. If you feel it upon your heart to become involved in a project of this scope, please contact me via the contact page on this website. Thanks for your time and opinions.
Add Comment